Once Again
by Boogie-Jam
Summary: Two former l'Cie find themselves in the world again, but for what purpose?  Fang/Vanille pairing, other characters to come along later.  Rated T for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Final Fantasy XIII and its characters/creatures/locations belong to Square Enix.**

I have not beaten the game as of yet (finished the storyline in Oerba) so forgive any inaccuracies.

* * *

_Arise..._

_Arise...and help._

* * *

A great gasp emitted from Fang as her body was suddenly overthrown with the need for air, eyes opening with a quick snap. The sunlight burned her retinas, the sounds around the Oerban erupting in her ears. Despite the heat of the sun Fang found herself chilled, rolling to the side and wrapping her arms about herself. Her eyes would close, unable to focus, and her head and heart pounded rapidly.

It took a great deal of time before Fang was able to relax, her body steadily becoming accustomed to senses once again. The cold left her body and she now felt the sun's warmth, her heart slowing in her chest. Exhaling softly, the woman allowed her eyes to slowly open. They would remain half lidded at first before she felt it safe to open them fully, the brightness around her only posing a mild discomfort that quickly diminished. With her arms unfolding Fang placed a hand upon the soft grass she lay on, pushing herself up into a seated position to better view her surroundings.

Vast plains spread as far as the eye could see, towering masses of rock visible in the far distance. Grass a vibrant green covered a good portion of the plains, a number of shrubs, trees and other plant-life scattered about. Cliffs jutted outward in various places, casting shadows on the earth beneath them. The shining sun was nestled high in the cloud graced sky, a few winged beasts visible as they passed overhead.

Fang was in awe, a great feeling of relief washing over her as she rose to her feet. She inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar scent of the land.

"Finally," the woman sighed, though she soon came to realize that no one else was around. There she was, standing alone; and something was wrong with that picture.

Quickly Fang turned her head, first to one side then the other, taking a few minutes to survey both directions before focusing in front of and behind herself. The relief that once filled her was now replaced with a faint sense of dread, for Vanille was nowhere to be seen. Once Fang called the girl's name...twice...a third time, and no reply. Her heart started to sink. The sun was blocked out by the clouds, a sudden wind sweeping through the land. Rolling thunder could be heard in the distance, Fang gazing in its direction.

Storm or not, she was going to find Vanille.

* * *

Fang's initial destination was the Font of Namva, as she knew that Vanille had a fondness for chocobos. It seemed a good first place to start, though upon her entrance the Oerban found the area to be empty. No Vanille, no beasts...and, oddly, no chocobos. This confused and troubled the woman, and a further search brought an idea as to what the cause of the birds' disappearance may be.

Near the edge of the largest body of water Fang discovered deep gouges in the soil that measured at least two feet in length. As she knelt beside them she noticed that the marks were in a pair; four on the left, four on the right. No doubt some matter of creature caused them, frightening the chocobos and other beasts out. Judging by the location of the gouges, Fang gathered the thing resided in the water. The liquid was still, however, and the woman ventured closer.

Fang could not see any signs of a water dwelling beast, though she did spot what appeared to be a hole carved deep into the rock below. It must have dug its way through from another location to reach the Font of Namva.

The woman's brow furrowed at the sudden crack of thunder overhead, tiny droplets of rain beginning to fall from the sky. She exhaled a sigh, rising to her feet. The absence of chocobos was the least of her worries, and somehow she doubted that the creature attacked Vanille. There were no other markings on the ground to indicate a battle, no footprints that could have belonged to the girl.

Turning on her heel Fang headed back the way she had come, rain starting to dampen her hair.

Was Vanille out there, searching for her as well?


	2. Chapter 2

_So many noises..._

Vanille could not recognize any of the sounds that suddenly overwhelmed her ears, and though she wanted to cover them she found herself unable to move. The entirety of her body was rigid, whatever cold surface that was beneath it causing it to shiver. There was nothing but complete darkness, and Vanille could not discern whether her eyes were open or closed. A strange sensation arose within her chest, feeling as if someone were gripping her heart. The beats steadily became harder and the organ's movement more pronounce, soon growing to be painful.

The girl found herself finally able to move, placing her hands over her chest as she began to writhe. The forceful squeezing of Vanille's heart was making it near impossible to breathe, and the noises around her intensified. She choked for air, managing to cry out the name of her fellow Oerban in hopes that the woman may be nearby. Vanille received no response, however, and so tears formed within her eyes.

With what felt like a heavy blow being dealt to her chest, Vanille found a sudden mass of colors erupting before her eyes as her body jolted. The pain had subsided and it took the girl several minutes to realize that her eyes were now open.

But where was she?

As she lay there to inhale a few breaths of precious air, Vanille began to recognize the sounds whose origins were previously unknown to her. Trickling and faintly splashing water, the croaking and chirping of what were more than likely amphibious creatures, and the occasional distant sound of thunder. The air, she noticed, was damp and held the aroma of moss and rock. Then, as if a sudden realization came to her, Vanille shot into an upright seated position.

"The Springs!" Vanille exclaimed, scrambling to her feet and calling out for Fang again despite there being no response before. She glanced around, listening for any sign of her friend. The only things moving, besides herself, were the orobons and ceratosaurs, as well as the latter's kin. After calling the woman's name again, a heavy frown appeared on Vanille's face as no answer was heard.

Vanille soon concluded that if she were awake then Fang must be too; but where could she be? Oerba? Fang may or may not be there, though Vanille thought it the best place to look first.

"Off we go I suppose," she chirped, heading towards the edge of the island of rock she stood upon. With a quick jump the girl landed safely on the next tiny island, humming to herself as she moved across.

With no idea why she was awake, Vanille found herself not caring as long as she was finally free. That, however, made her stop in her tracks. Dreading the worst as she lifted a portion of her skirt, Vanille breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she found no brand. Just to be safe she inspected her other hip, both legs, arms, stomach, chest...all showing no signs of the mark of a l'Cie.

The momentary worry now cast aside, Vanille continued on her way through Sulyya Springs.

_I hope you're there Fang._

_Please be there._

* * *

Nearly halfway across the steppe and heading north, Fang realized that it was going to be quite the walk to Oerba. Once she was clear of her current area the woman would need to cross through Mah'habara and Sulyya Springs before reaching Taejin's Tower, which would lead to her and Vanille's hometown. A rather long walk indeed, and the weather seemed keen to make the trip miserable.

While there could have been other places for Vanille to be, Fang decided her best bet would be Oerba. Given how far it was and how much ground she would cover, she may just come across the younger woman before ever reaching her planned destination. There was a chance that Vanille was not even around, that maybe she was still within her crystal stasis. This was, of course, something that Fang did not want to consider. Whatever force roused her must have done the same to the other Oerban, and Fang was not going to dismiss that chance.

The woman growled in agitation as the rainfall grew slightly heavier. Her hair was flattened, wet from the rain she had already walked through, clothes beginning to soak through. Normally Fang would not care if such weather occured, however due to her mission she found it to be an annoyance. At least it was the slightest helpful, Fang thought as she stopped for a moment. She cupped her hands to collect the drops of water, moving the liquid to her mouth and drinking.

After her brief little refresher, Fang continued onward. Many of the beasts that would have usually been about were nowhere to be seen; an effect of the stormy weather. Even the oretoises were absent, though she could spot one's shell jutting out from a set of separated cliffs. The giant creature's position indicated that it was blocking access to the area beyond it, which was more than likely home to a nest of other oretoises. Upon passing a cluster of grass covered rock formations, Fang heard the familiar sound of bleating. Glancing over, the woman could see a tiny group of sheep huddled close together beneath an outcrop to prevent being rained on.

She was reminded of Vanille and how the girl loved the little critters, a thought that brought a smile to her face.

"Stay dry," Fang called to the sheep, who responded with their faint call. The woman chuckled, returning her gaze ahead. While her mood was in slightly better spirits, the Oerban suddenly began to wonder why she was there. Fang wondered the reason, and was certain that she had heard a voice prior to her awakening. However, if that were the case the sound was so faint that Fang was unable to make it out; if there was even a voice at all. For the time she decided not to dwell on such things, but found her eyes wandering to her right shoulder. The scorched, white mark was still there and was something she would probably be stuck with the rest of her life. She did not, however, feel the sense of dread of being branded a l'Cie and having to carry out some foolish Focus.

That, along with the hope of Vanille being awake, was enough to drive Fang through the pouring rain and clashing thunder.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Between this and chapter 2 I beat the game, so I'm bringing a certain place into the story. I was going to work it in at some point, just felt it best to do it now.**_

* * *

"Ooh this isn't good at all."

Vanille halted near the exit of the springs, hands upon her hips as she gazed out at the heavy downpour. A pout was upon the girl's face as she debated whether or not to proceed. This indecisiveness would cause her to not hear the low growl emitting from a darkened crevice within the wall of rock some feet behind her position.

"I wonder when it'll pass..." Vanille thought aloud, arms crossing over her chest as she leaned forward to peer up at the grey sky. It was not until she turned around that the young Oerban realized she had company; and said company seemed intent on having her for lunch.

The feral beast was graced with a thin coat of white, both jaws and talons sharp and wicked. Its jagged tail lashed behind its muscular, quadrupedal body, a series of spines adorning its back. Twisted, wing-like protrusions extended from the beast's hind legs, though were obviously nothing that could be used for flight. It was a fearsome creature that Vanille knew to be a managarmr, and it was quite the vicious opponent.

Letting out a yelp as the beast charged, Vanille was quick to turn on her heel and flee into the Palisades. Rain water pelted the girl the faster she ran, every footfall spattering the liquid in several directions. She attempted to shield her eyes with an arm against her forehead, which helped to a minimal degree. Vanille did not have to look to know how close the beast was, for she could hear the menacing growls and heavy steps clearly. She felt her heart pounding, racing with fear, a split decision bringing her to climb the nearest rocky ledge and out of the creature's reach.

"Go, shoo!" Vanille yelled, frantically motioning for the beast to leave. "I don't taste good! Eat something else!"

The managarmr, unaffected by her words, lunged upwards and snapped its jaws. Claws raked against the rock whenever it jumped, a feeble attempt to reach its prey. After several minutes the creature ceased, bringing relief to Vanille.

That relief, however, would be short-lived.

A fierce snarl sounded, and upon turning her gaze upwards Vanille cried out in shock. Another beast, same as the one below, was perched dangerously close. This one, Vanille assumed, must have heard the chase; either that, or the two had set up a clever trap to catch their next meal.

Time seemed to slow as Vanille's gaze was locked with the managarmr's, her body unable to move from fear. She watched as the beast before her leaned back, claws scraping against the rock beneath its feet. Back and forth its tail lashed, jaws spread wide and fangs dripping with rain. Releasing a growl the managarmr lunged forward.

"NO!" Vanille screamed, hands raising before her face in defense, her eyes shut tight.

Suddenly the beast howled in pain, its body being flung back against the rock. Daring a glance, Vanille found the managarmr scorched on a good portion of its face and chest. This came as a surprise as she did not expect to be able to cast magic without being a l'Cie.

"Get back!" she demanded, rising to her feet and casting another spell of fire as the beast began to stand. The magic hit home, causing its target to tumble from the ledge and land with a sickening crack on the ground below. It lay there, body lifeless, the other managarmr fleeing quickly.

Vanille huffed, climbing down and careful not to lose her footing.

"You better run! Come after me again and see what happens!" the girl called, crossing her arms. She peered in the direction of the beast's escape through drenched hair, and soon she turned her attention towards the structure looming in the midst of the Palisades.

All that was left was for Vanille to ascend the still broken Taejin's Tower, and then she would reach Oerba. She wondered what state the abandoned town was in now, how long it had been since she and Fang had been there last. With an arm shielding her eyes, Vanille gazed up at another familiar sight.

The broken shell that was Cocoon nested within the clutches of crystal, an immense pillar keeping it safely suspended. 

* * *

Escaping the rain and entering the first area of Mah'habara, Fang shook her head quickly to rid herself of what water she could. The clothing upon her body was still soaked, however, though she did not want to take the time making a fire to dry them. It was a mild annoyance, but Fang had more important things on her mind.

The underground tunnels of Mah'habara were as the Oerban remembered, not appearing any different than the last she saw of them. Fang was sure that, because of this, the length of her and Vanille's sleep was not horribly long. She could not precisely say the amount of time, though; was it a year, two years...or more? The answer was unknown and probably would remain so til Fang reached Oerba. Did her old home change at all during her slumber? Were there people living there now? So many questions and worries caused Fang to rub a temple lightly as she felt the onset of a headache.

A sigh escaped the Oerban's lips, eyes scanning her surroundings the further she trekked. Broken bits of machinery and the remains of defeated automata were strewn about, a strong scent of rust lingering in the air. An occasional drip of water could be heard, as well as the distant clanking of metal. Somewhere wandered still-functioning Pulse machinery.

When Fang ascended the slant of a grate covered tunnel, she noticed the smell of rust in the air being accompanied by a damp and slightly foul odor. It became more prominent the closer Fang came to the nearest bend, and soon her gaze fell upon the bubbling, oozing form of a midsized flan. The creature's body was a faded brown and red flecked with black, its movement sluggish. Fang's presence was unknown to the rusted flan, something which the woman planned to use to her advantage. Silently she readied her weapon and moved in for the attack.

From the corner of her eye Fang caught a glimpse of movement to her right, the foul odor in the air growing stronger. The sharp point of her spear impaled the flan before her, however it did nothing to the three that made themselves known from the darkness. Just as the Oerban pulled her weapon from the now deceased flan, the others clustered together and merged.

"Trying to look fearsome, are we?" Fang smirked, eyes now upon the single, immense creature. "Size doesn't always matter, you know."

The giant flan emitted a liquid rumble from the gaping space that made up its mouth, an arm suddenly lashing out at the woman. Fang was nimble on her toes, however, and avoided the blow. Another attack was launched but again missed its target, the warrior moving toward the flank of the oozing behemoth. Fang struck its body with her spear before attacking the flan from behind, though soon found her weapon lodged within the rusted muck. She decided against removing it for the time being, narrowly avoiding a swinging appendage as the creature turned.

"You're quite the pain," the woman sneered, ducking and dodging in what looked like an odd dance with the flan.

This would continue for several minutes til Fang managed to get behind the creature, grabbing hold of the spear still protruding from its back. Her hands grasped the weapon tightly, her feet stepping in time with the flan's turns. As both continued in circles Fang attempted to pull her spear from the ooze, but it budged very little. She growled in agitation, tugging harder and harder, the bladed lance finally beginning to loosen. However just as Fang was about to free her weapon, the monstrous flan spun around quickly. Its gooey arm managed to strike the Oerban, causing her to collide with the wall of rock beside her. The impact did not make her aching head any better.

With her spear back in her possession, Fang held it tight as the flan advanced. She avoided another attack, moving a few feet behind the creature. There Fang stood her ground, narrowed eyes watching as her enemy turned. A gurgling snarl sounded from the flan as it moved forward, though the Oerban remained in her position. Fang's body was tensed, knees bent slightly and spear held out at her right side. She was ready but waited; waited til the flan closed the distance between them.

The giant flailed its arms to attack, Fang launching herself upward between the appendages. A sudden rush of electricity shot from the Oerban's hand and traveled the entire length of her spear, causing it to crackle with the light that enveloped it. Fang brought the lance's point into the head of the flan, its body convulsing from the immense shock. The Oerban released her grasp, falling to her feet on the ground below. With the electrified spear still lodged in its head the flan emitted a series of angered, painful sounds as it attempted to remove said weapon. The creature was unsuccessful and soon found its life spent, its oozing form falling to slowly dissipate.

"Still got it," Fang said with a smirk, retrieving the spear that lay upon the ground. "Now to get out of these blasted tunnels."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for taking so long to write the 4th chapter! Been a bit busy and ran into somewhat of a writer's block. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Quite surprised that she had not encountered any other managarmrs, or the wyverns that wandered the area, Vanille was by no means disappointed. She was grateful for their absence, which made an easy venture to the gate that lead to the ground floor of Taejin's Tower. It was when the Oerban had passed through the massive doors that she gave a heavy sigh of relief, twisting the ends of her twintails to rid them of water. The air inside of the hall held a faint chill, causing Vanille to lightly wrap her arms around herself.

Walking through and soon exiting the empty hall would bring Vanille to the vast room that was the tower's ground tier. A few wandering managarmrs could be seen on the far side of the room, the feral beasts not immediately noticing Vanille. Tiny pools of water graced the floor in a number of places, caused by the rain that had fallen from high above. The shuffling footsteps of the tower's creatures and the faint patter of rain were all that could be heard. Everything was dimly lit as the sun hid behind storm clouds, only peeking out every handful of minutes.

Vanille made an effort to keep her steps quiet, not wanting to draw the attention of the beasts. They were, unfortunately, rather close to the elevator that she had intended to take to the tower's apex. Uncertain that she could take on three of the creatures on her own, Vanille wondered how she would be able to move past them. Running to the lift was out of the question; it was too far for her to make it without the managarmrs noticing and reaching her. Sneaking would be the only way, though one of them may turn and spot her…unless she created a distraction.

The young Oerban thought heavily for a few moments as she crouched behind the structure resting within the room's center. Her searching eyes would find a few pieces of rubble on the floor beside her. Vanille took hold of one chunk of stone, eyeing the feral beasts before throwing it hard to her right. The sound of impact caught the creatures' attention, and another tossed piece of debris caused them to run in that direction. With them momentarily distracted, Vanille snuck out from her hiding spot and quickly but quietly made her way closer to the lift.

One of the managarmrs lifted its head, catching a glimpse of movement. Its gaze fell upon the girl, a loud growl erupting from the beast. As it turned and charged in Vanille's direction the other two were still preoccupied as they attempted to find the source of the noise from moments before.

Just as Vanille set foot on the ramp that lead to the elevator, she was startled by a sudden movement seen from the corner of her eye. Instinctively the Oerban moved forward and ducked, her hands and knees resting on the cool surface. The managarmr had missed its target and cleared the ramp, though was quick to make its way around. Vanille removed her weapon and unfolded it with one swift movement, striking the beast atop the head as she rose to her feet. With the enemy briefly stunned, Vanille ran up the ramp and through the elevator's open entryway. She could see that the managarmr had regained its composure and that it was now charging after her. The beast would not get far, however; Vanille was quick to move the lever, closing any entry into the elevator and causing the fiend to collide headfirst into the thick metal.

She could not help but giggle, imagining the collision was quite the humorous thing to see. Now that she was out of the reach of those creatures, Vanille returned her weapon to its spot. A sense of nervousness began to wash over her as the lift ascended. Reaching the top would enable her to see the land that surrounded Oerba, the town that had been laid to ruin during her and Fang's 500 year slumber. She was frightened at what might be seen, how much may have changed this time. Vanille took a soft breath, closing her eyes as fingers formed into the sign she often used when praying.

_Please, let it be better…_

The girl would repeat the words in her head a number of times before she felt the lift coming to a halt. As the sides of the elevator opened, a brighter sky was revealed. Stepping out Vanille could see that the darkened clouds had somewhat diminished, the sun now visible. The rain had stopped, the air still damp from the showers. The change had little effect on the unease Vanille still felt, her feet taking her closer to the apex's edge. She stopped before getting too close, hands clasped together in front of her chin and trembling slightly. It would be a good length of time before she was able to coax herself to continue.

Dreading the worst as she reached the edge, Vanille found herself quickly in a state of shock. The last time she had laid eyes upon Oerba's land, it was nothing but a vast sea of sand and void of color. Now it resembled what she had remembered from ages ago; a variety of plant life and vivid colors painted the landscape that was graced with a number of rocky peaks and hills. The unease was now replaced with excitement, the girl quick to turn on her heels as she made for the elevator that was used to travel to the earth below.

_I wonder if anyone is there…any of our friends._

Vanille dearly hoped they were, but she was not sure how long it had been since she last set foot in Oerba. She prayed that Fang would be there; she could almost see the older woman waiting for her, voicing how impatient she had been and teasing that Vanille took long enough. The thought caused her to smile.

She was beginning to grow impatient herself as it seemed the lift was taking forever to stop. When it finally came to a halt Vanille made a quick exit, feet pounding on the grass patched dirt. The scent of flowers reached her nose, her breaths growing slightly labored as she continued down the long, winding path. Growing visible were the spinning blades of a windmill.

What Vanille would see next nearly caused her to trip when she reached the top of the path.


	5. Chapter 5

**I really need to shorten the length of time between chapters! D:**

**Feel like parts of this were rushed a bit; that's what happens at 1am I suppose lol**

* * *

The journey to Sulyya Springs took longer than Fang would have liked. She was forced to travel the entire distance on foot as Atomos, the one who had carved the twisting tunnels and provided a means of transportation to the springs, was absent. This was something Fang found rather unusual, and it troubled her that she did not hear the familiar sound of the fal'Cie's movement during her trek through Mah'habara. Why Atomos was not there, the Oerban was uncertain. She considered the fact that the fal'Cie may be elsewhere, but something told her that was not the case.

It had grown slightly darker as the sun began to set, its rays no longer illuminating the land of Sulyya Springs. Fang realized that she had been travelling for several hours, and her feet began to ache. Her stomach seemed to give her another reminder of the time's length, rumbling lowly. When the woman reached the center of the springs she sat upon one of the moss covered rocks, idly watching the ceratosaurs as they croaked and hopped about.

A heavy sigh escaped Fang's lips, her gaze wandering to the pool of water to her left. There was no sign of movement, other than the occasional drip from the stalactites littering the cavern's ceiling. Realizing that another fal'Cie may be missing, Fang recalled not seeing the massive form of Titan as she made her way across the Archylte Steppe. At the time she had not paid any mind to it, but now…

_Why are they gone?_

There must be some connection to their absence and the two Oerbans' awakening, though what that was Fang had not the slightest idea. Did they vanish when Cocoon had been saved? No, that did not make much sense. Perhaps they simply departed elsewhere?

Knowing that she would not find the answer just sitting there, Fang rose to her feet. They still ached as the woman had not sat long enough for them to recover, but she was restless. There were too many questions that needed answers, and she _had _to find out if Vanille were in Oerba. Despite her slowly growing weariness Fang pushed forward through the springs.

* * *

The sun could not be seen beyond the towering cliffs of the Palisades, and the stars slowly began to reveal themselves amidst the darkening sky. A faint breeze swept through the air, which still retained the scent of previous rain showers. There were feral beasts now roaming the land, mainly located farther ahead from Fang's position. She had no doubt that an encounter with the fiends would eventually occur.

A sudden, piercing cry would startle the woman, instincts causing her to draw her weapon. She held tightly to the staff, eyes searching the area around her. The heavy flapping of wings reached the Oerban's ears, and casting her gaze upward she would discover the cry's source.

The wyvern was quite sinister in appearance, the two heads on either side of its body housing massive jaws capable of biting its prey in half. Serrated fangs were ever exposed, threatening death upon those that came too close. Its tail was equally dangerous, tipped with a sharp crescent blade, the appendage thrashing about wildly. The wyvern's leathery wings consisted of three main segments, each end graced with sharp spines. Its underbelly was colored a grayish white, the remains of its body composed of dark, faded hues of blue and tints of red. A rancid stench lingered in the air as the wyvern emitted another menacing shriek, the smell causing Fang to wrinkle her nose.

"Have you killed anything with that breath?" the woman asked, quickly sidestepping as the beast lunged at her and snapped its jaws. The wyvern's tail lashed towards Fang, who deflected it with a swift strike of her bladed lance and caused a nice gash to appear on the appendage's flesh. An angered cry sounded from the fiend as it pulled its tail away and again tried to capture the Oerban between its teeth; an action that would have been successful had Fang not embedded her weapon's tip into the bottom of the wyvern's jaw. A smirk came to her face as she pulled the crossing blades from their target before holstering the weapon.

Backing away from its prey, the wyvern shook its head from side to side and dripped blood onto the ground below. The winged body spun around until the rear head was in front, the beast's tail thrashing violently. As the wyvern began to ascend, it released another shriek before lunging toward its intended meal, jaws snapping in a frenzied manner. Fang watched as the fiend closed the distance, her feet shuffling backward the slightest of inches for she knew how close she stood to the cliff's edge. Her hands, clenched into fists, rested at her sides. If Fang did not time her next action perfectly, she would surely meet unwanted consequences.

The wyvern's breath travelled through the air that was beaten forward by its wings, and sand danced across the rocky terrain. Fang felt the blood pulsing through her veins, every muscle tensed and ready to act. And once the beast neared the right spot, the woman quickly jumped back to allow her feet to greet the air. Sure enough the wyvern followed, though for a handful of seconds it did not notice the Oerban clinging to the rocky wall. Fang paid no mind to the cuts upon her hands as she clutched the jagged rocks, for they would not be there for long.

Pushing herself away from the cliff wall, Fang removed her lance from its holster and pointed it downward as she plummeted closer to the wyvern. The blades dug deep into the flesh of the creature's back, Fang now standing upon it. She held tightly to her weapon as the wyvern thrashed, attempting to throw her off.

"Come on, cooperate would ya?" Fang spoke, pulling back on the lance to coax the beast upwards. It took a good number of struggling before proving successful, and even then the wyvern seemed keen to make it difficult. "I could just kill you now and walk the rest but…where's the fun in that? Now…up higher, you!"

* * *

There were people; people in Oerba!

Vanille could barely contain herself, and soon she was bounding down the path with joy expressed upon her face. Her presence was noticed by the few people that were walking along the restored, stone road (which appeared to be void of vehicles and was more of a sidewalk than anything), their reaction being surprise at her sudden appearance. Surprise soon turned to confusion, then to slight realization.

"Did you come from Cocoon?" Vanille asked as she came to a halt in front of the three. "How long have you been here?"

"Uh, yeah we did," replied one of the people, a young man who aged around fifteen.

"Its been…about two years since we came down here," an older gentleman spoke. "Two years since all that crazy stuff happened on Cocoon, with all those monsters."

"Say, aren't you…" the young man started, his sentence stopping there as Vanille darted away. "…a strange girl."

The next people that Vanille encountered would be asked about seeing a woman named Fang, dark hair, wearing a blue sari and carrying a staff; but their answers were not what she was hoping to hear. No one had seen anyone by that description; but they did say that the name was familiar. They said they would keep an eye out for her, if she were to show up, and let Vanille know. With that out of the way she travelled further into Oerba.

The buildings that had previously been abandoned and falling apart were now rebuilt and inhabited, street signs were legible once again, and flowers lined portions of the reworked roads. Once barren trees now housed vibrant green leaves, rustling amidst the gentle breeze. Children ran, laughing as they played, and couples walked hand in hand down the street. Vanille paused as she took in everything, a smile never leaving her face.

"Well I'll be damned!"

The voice as all too familiar and Vanille quickly glanced from side to side before spotting a figure approaching ahead.

"Snow!" she called, waving frantically before running toward the tall blonde. Had he not been as strong as he was, Vanille would have likely knocked him down from the force of her hug's impact.

"I knew we'd see you again," said Snow, patting the girl on the back before placing his hands upon her shoulders. "And hey, at least it wasn't 500 years this time, right?" he grinned. Vanille playfully punched at the man's stomach.

"So everyone's here, then?" she asked. "All of you are alright?"

"Yep, and better than ever. Fang isn't with you?"

"No…I'm not sure where she is," Vanille said, frowning.

"Well don't worry; I'm sure she'll be here soon," Snow replied, patting the girl's shoulder. "We should go let the others know the good news! They'll be glad to see you."

"Yeah! I can't wait to see everyone."


End file.
